IBS and presumed CRSC?

K

kb1991

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PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
If I was diagnosed after returning from Afghanistan with IBS, would this considered to be Combat Related IAW:

"With respect to VA awards of service-connection based on presumptive conditions under the provisions of sections 1112(b)-(c), 1116, 1117, and 1118 of title 38, United States Code, and of 38 CFR 3.316, CRSC determinations will presume such disability to also be combat-related if the VA Initial Rating Form (or other substantiating documentary information) indicates that the VA rating for the disability is based on such presumption. Thus, disabilities rated by the VA on the basis of POW status, exposure to radiation, mustard gas or lewisite, Agent Orange, and those disabilities associated with Persian Gulf service that are presumed by the VA to be service-connected shall be presumed by the Military Department to be combat-related absent documentary information that the disability was incurred under circumstances that were not combat-related." - Attachment 1 - Program Guidance Combat-Related Special Compensation April 15, 2004 - Page 6

Or does Afghanistan not count as Persian Gulf? IF it doesn't, having stopped in one of the other countries for 3 days does it make that count then? Or am I reading this totally incorrectly.
 
By no means am I an expert on this topic. But the way I understand it, Persian Gulf means the war in the early 1990’s, as there was munitions that leaked chemicals and troops were effected by it.

As far as combat related, the VA and DOD have very specific and stringent criteria and standards that apply to that label. You will need to dig deeper in rules, regulations, as I know there are updated things, newer than 2004.

Again, this is just my understanding and interpretation of what rules and regulations I have read. I very well might be wrong. Hopefully someone much wiser and smarter on this topic can chime in.
 
Re: Presumptive Conditions, Related Info

Afghanistan Veterans <—-LINK

Help with CRSC application, NVLSP <——LINK

and

Gulf War Illnesses Linked to Service in Afghanistan

You must also have a diagnosis of one or more of these conditions:
  • Brucellosis
  • Campylobacter jejuni
  • Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
  • Malaria*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis*
  • Nontyphoid Salmonella
  • Shigella
  • Visceral leishmaniasis*
  • West Nile Virus

*Indicates that there are exceptions to how we decide if these illnesses qualify you for benefits and these conditions may be covered even after a year has passed.
LINK to eligibility criteria <——

Additional VA info:
VA Fact Sheet <—- LINK

Ron

Edited to add:
Many of the references above are related to the VA. Your service-connection approved by the VA would be the primary basis for a successful CRSC application.
 
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Ron,

Thank you for your information. Last thing I wanted was to give bad / wrong information.
 
Very interesting, I am in the similar boat as you. I have IBS from Afghanistan and it is directly related to some things I will not openly discuss here but contributes to some degree what another poster mentioned in a sense. For numerous years I had also been confused: Persian Gulf, does it included Afghanistan, I wrote the VA saw DAV write up an article regarding this and got nowhere trying to find an accurate answer, I wrote the DAV and never heard back - I think it was a typo. I don't think the VA has updated it yet, however, the work around is if you were in any regions or passed through on your way to Afghanistan and if the VA finds you credible they will do this and probably the military dept. concerned as well. I am still working the issue.

I am very interested in communicating with you about your IBS, occurrence and symptoms. I am only rated 0% for the VA for this which sucks because it should be way more of a higher rating.

What years were you in Afghanistan? Did you participate in classified operations regarding this as a result? Maybe we know each other. I was in country 01'-02' Congress needs to expand the whole Gulf War thing to include all regions of operations for Afghanistan/Pakistan for Southwest Asia theater of military operations . I had severe Gulf War Syndrome for roughly two to three years, I would be laying in bed feeling like someone was beating me with a baseball bat and my thyroid glands would feel like swollen rocks that hurt. I went through hell with my symptoms from what I incurred in Afghanistan and since the law is not expanded it is almost moot or not evaluated, Congress needs to fix this. How?

I have/or have had all of the undiagnosed illnesses or those illnesses and am not rated other than that and t sucks. Served in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations by language does not include Afghanistan and military will heed to that. However, Gulf War Veteran you are otherwise.

The Department of Veterans Affairs defines the regions of the Southwest Asia theater of military operations under 38 CFR §3.137 as:

3859

  • Iraq
  • Kuwait
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia
  • Bahrain
  • Qatar
  • The United Arab Emirates
  • Oman
  • Gulf of Aden
  • Gulf of Oman
  • Persian Gulf
  • Arabian Sea
  • Red Sea
  • Airspace above these regions
"AFGHANISTAN" WHY NOT ?
 
I have 30% service connected IBS from time in afghan. Some of the wording in my diagnosis is exposure to environmental hazard. I do not have any answers regarding it as a combat related issue. I do know so far it was not listed as a unfit condition for me. Still awaiting final results from PEB. I have been hospitalized for weird illness more then once and was told it is related to service connected IBS by the VA. I have also been told they aren't sure And studies are ongoing. Good luck!
 
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